From cheese rolling to setting fire to a longship, there are plenty of quirky festivals taking place across the UK every year. Whilst many of these festivals may, at first glance, appear to be simple madness, the majority actually have their roots in England’s diverse history and have been taking place for centuries. If you’ve ever had a desire to take part in something truly unusual then here are some of the most unique festivals happening in 2015:

1. Falmouth’s International Sea Shanty Festival
This beach town in Cornwall plays host to one of the biggest maritime music concerts in the whole of Europe each summer. Held over three days, this free festival has over 50 shanty groups entertaining thousands of visitors. 2014 was the festivals biggest ever year with over 261 hours of shanty singing and this year looks set to be even better. Taking place on Friday 12th June to Sunday 14th June, this festival predominantly raises money for the RNLI and is held at more than 20 different venues across the seaside town. Perhaps it is hard to believe that so many different sea shanties exist, but this is certainly worth experiencing if possible.

2. Totnes Orange Races
This August celebration is organised by the local Elizabethan Society to commemorate the day when Sir Francis Drake visited this Devon market town and knocked over a basket of oranges, sending them rolling down the street. Entrants must throw or kick their oranges along the 450-metre course but in order to win, oranges must be at least partially intact when they cross the finishing line. This year’s races take place on Tuesday 18th August. It seems like a small and strange event to celebrate but the orange races continue to prove popular with Totnes locals and tourists alike.

3. Notting Hill, London
Whilst this incredibly well known festival may not, at first glace, strike you as unusual, when you consider the different elements which go into making it, then you may think again! Since its debut in 1964, this carnival has grown at a rapid rate and now attracts more visitors than ever. Music, masquerade, fine Caribbean food and colourful parades make up this stunning festival which undoubtedly takes place in one of the 30 most beautiful cities in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of visitors will descend on the capital city for this August bank holiday festival so if you want to be a part of it, we suggest booking your hotel as soon as possible. There are many great London Piccadilly hotels which would be an ideal choice. Notting Hill is very easy to get to, so staying further afield from Notting Hill itself, such as in one of the London Piccadilly hotels would still make it fairly easy to reach the festival; just leave enough time to traverse the crowds of people with similar ideas!

4. Cheese Rolling, Gloucestershire
So extreme is this Gloucestershire celebration, which takes place every May bank holiday that there have even been campaigns for it to be banned. This 15th century event occurs on the grassy slopes of Coopers Hill and involves contestants chasing a 9lb Double Gloucester cheese. The cheese, which is released one second before the runners, can reach speeds of up to 70 miles an hour; posing a serious risk to onlookers should it veer off course. The runners are not particularly safe either, despite usually being significantly behind the wheel of cheese. Sprains and fractures are not unheard of. Catching the cheese is very rare so the winner is usually the person who reaches the bottom of the hill first.

5. Fireball Whirling, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
On the last day of the year, the inhabitants of this small fishing town brave the cold to take part in this risky parade. More than 30 people take part each year, walking through the town’s streets twirling balls of fire above their heads accompanied by a local band of bagpipers. The fireballs are made from combustible materials such as coal and wood and are so large that onlookers have to be kept a significant distance away to prevent injury. After the parade the fireballs are thrown into the North Sea and the entrants go from house to house seeking a dram of whisky; known as ‘first footing’ their neighbours.

If none of these festivals are local to you then why not search your own area to see if there is anything taking place close by? With such a vast and varied history, you might be surprised to find your own county has its own unique festival which takes place each year.

Although there is a lot to be said for planning a trip well in advance; knowing where you are staying, buying advance tickets for attractions you want to see, the anticipation of the date marching ever closer, there is also something rather exciting about leaving on a last minute break.

You might decide on the spur of the moment to take a break and you simply search for the best value last minute deal or you might have had your eye on a trip to London for a while but decide to make the journey without much thought. Whatever the reason there are many excellent London last minute hotels and deals to be found on the internet, and quite often they offer you the chance to stay in a higher rated level of accommodation than you might otherwise have been able to afford so it is well worth looking. After all, even 4 and 5 star hotels don’t benefit from having empty rooms.

There are even websites which offer the opportunity to book a ‘secret hotel’, whereby you book the hotel without knowing the name of it in advance. You are simply given the star rating, a brief description and the location. Taking advantage of these secret hotels can result in a significant discount on the hotel rate and can also add another degree of excitement to your last minute trip: not even knowing where you are staying until you have already clicked to book and paid! Perhaps this is not the type of adventure for the first time last-minute traveller however, especially if your usual mode of operation is to have absolutely everything laid out well in advance of stepping out of your front door.

Although much is often made of being able to purchase entrance tickets in advance of your trip, you don’t necessarily need to have decided what you want to see either. London is a bustling and vibrant city which always has something going on so whether your interest lies in discovering London’s best urban running trails or exploring the hidden gems of the British Museum, you won’t be left disappointed.

One of the best things about going somewhere last minute is that sense of excitement and elation heading into the unknown. This might feel like your idea of a worst nightmare but why not give it a try? You never know, you might find that you thoroughly enjoy not having every single second of your trip mapped out and simply heading where your whims take you. It can be very freeing to not feel as though you have a set agenda of attractions you need to take a photograph of, restaurants you need to experience and designer store windows you need to wish over.

Of course, leaving things to the last minute does also have its downsides and this is where you will need to let go of your expectations and learn to go with the flow. The majority (if not all) of London’s very best restaurants are likely to be booked up months in advance so you may find you have to compromise on where you go to eat; of course if you have secured a good deal at one of the London last minute hotels then you may find there is a restaurant attached to your hotel and so it will be a moot point. You may have to pay full entrance fees if there is a particular attraction that you absolutely have your heart set on visiting (although with the advancement of smart technology you may be able to purchase discounted tickets using your phone or tablet as you travel down to London, no matter how last minute it might be).

But equally, not having a set plan may open you up to experiences you would otherwise have missed out on. Not having somewhere organised to eat might lead you down a winding London street where you discover that hidden gem all the locals love to hang out at and eat on a Friday night. You may come across routes around the city which you hadn’t otherwise considered and get to experience the stunning London skyline from a new and different perspective. Even simply the act of letting go of the structure of your usual trips may change your view on your trip and you never know, you could end up having the very best experience of your life. It could alter the entire way you consider city breaks and open you up to a new way of travelling locally and internationally.

Alternatively, you may hate every single minute but at least you will have given something new a try and, the next time your partner or friend suggests heading somewhere last minute, you will know without a doubt that you aren’t the kind of person who can do this and enjoy it!

There are many reasons why you may only be stopping off in London for a short period of time. You may be attending a business meeting with a short turnaround time, have an extended layover between connecting flights or are simply stopping overnight on your way to somewhere else in the UK. Whilst a short trip may not seem like the best of London breaks there’s no reason why you should be cooped up inside your hotel room or the airport lounge if you don’t need to be.

The key to making the most of short London breaks is to visit attractions which are local to your hotel or the airport. London is a vast and sprawling city and it would simply be folly to choose an attraction on the opposite side of the city if you only have a couple of hours to spare before you have to head back to the airport.

Heathrow airport is situated just 15 miles from the centre of London and is well connected with the Heathrow Express, numerous bus services and the tube but when planning to visit the city from the airport you need to bear in mind the time it will take you to pass through security, and allow yourself enough time to get back and through airport security on your return. On average it takes an hour to pass through immigration and security, an hour to travel into the city and an hour to travel back. You then need to ensure that you have factored in enough time to pass back through security which could be 1 to 2 hours. In total this equates to 5 hours which may be the total length of your layover time! If you have longer than this then of course, it is entirely feasible to spend some time sightseeing in the capital but it is worth having this information to hand so that you aren’t caught on and accidentally miss your connecting flight: not even the promise of Buckingham Palace should be worth missing your ongoing flight.

A popular option with travellers is to ensure that their layover is overnight so that they can book themselves into one of the many hotels surrounding the airport. Even if your flight is first thing in the morning it is entirely possible to secure a Heathrow hotel with breakfast starting early 6am and many hotels close to the airport will even offer a wake up call so there is no risk that you will oversleep and miss your flight the following morning. If you are travelling long-haul then having a break to allow you to rest and recuperate may be the ideal option and with Heathrow having over 1,000 flights a day it should be entirely possible to have a prolonged gap between your incoming flight and your departure.

If you don’t fancy travelling into Central London then an option which many visitors opt for is to visit Windsor Castle; a 40 minute bus journey or a 20 minute taxi ride away from Heathrow Airport. First time visitors to the UK couldn’t fail to be awed by the iconic round tower and huge walls. Not to mention the history surrounding the Castle; it has been home to England’s Royal Family for almost 1,000 years. It was built by William the Conqueror and is the largest, and oldest, occupied castle in the world with The Queen often in residence at weekends. A typical visit to the Castle can last between 2 and 3 hours although if you simply want to escape the confines of the airport you could just take a look at the impressive exterior of the Castle and take in the fresh air in the 13 acres which make up Windsor Castle and the grounds.

If you desperately want to head into Central London then we would suggest choosing just a couple of attractions that take priority. Depending on the time you are travelling you may get caught up in commuter foot traffic, find large queues for the tube and so on which can all add time on to your allocated layover period. Whilst you can’t always factor these in, if you try to cram too much into your trip into the city then you may find yourself delayed and risk missing your connecting flight.

Of course as we mentioned above, all this can be negated if you ensure that your connecting flight takes place the following day. Not only will you be able to get a good night’s sleep in a real bed but you will also open up a whole section of time for exploring the fascinating and diverse city of London which is a real must, especially if you are a first time visitor to the UK. There are many wonderful attractions such as the Coca-Cola London Eye, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and so on which all feature on ‘must see’ lists across the world!

There are lots of reasons why a traveller may want to secure a hotel at a budget rate. You may have a limited amount of money to spend on your adventuring, or you may simply enjoy knowing that you haven’t paid over the odds for your hotel accommodation. Whatever the reason, if you are looking to come to London and want to save some vital pennies then you might want to consider the possibility of staying outside of Central London.

There are lots of debates about whether staying away from Central London hotels is a false economy and really, this comes down to what your plans are once you are in the capital city. If you want to play the tourist game and visit attractions which are all within the City of London then you may find that the cost of your travel outweighs the savings you have made on your hotel rate. However, you may be surprised at the number of interesting attractions which are outside of Zones 1 and 2 and so your travel may not cost as much as you think. To weigh these two things up, it may be worth using the Transport for London website to compare fares before booking your hotel.

If staying in Central London is unavoidable because of your plans then worry not; there are plenty of cheap London hotels deals to be found if you know where to look. This might mean scouring the internet looking at third party websites, it could be calling hotels directly and seeing what special offers they have or it might be waiting until the last minute and booking whatever hotel comes along at the right price. Even a simple internet search for cheap London hotels deals may throw up some interesting results.

Of course if you plan to explore further afield, and the attractions on your list all happen outside the City of London then it could be that staying outside of areas within Central London is the right choice for you. Heathrow Airport Hotels are a real boon for travellers and often have fantastic deals running, even if you aren’t planning on catching a flight anytime soon. Staying close to the airport will put you within easy reach of Windsor Castle, which is well worth exploring, and you will also be situated on excellent transport lines. There is the Heathrow Express which takes you direct to Paddington Station as well as numerous bus and tube services which can allow you further explore the rest of the city.

Another great reason to stay outside of Central London would be if you are planning on taking any day trips, such as to Bath, Cambridge or Oxford. As long as choose a hotel which is situated close to a train station you should have no issue with exploring a wider area. The Cotswolds and Bath in particular are favourite day trips from those staying near to, or in London, and don’t necessarily require hiring a car. In fact, they are very easy to access by public transport and it is entirely possible to visit and return in one day, although you may find that you prefer to book overnight accommodation to fully allow you to enjoy your time in the area. If you want to hire a car then staying outside of Central London will mean you miss the terrible traffic the city is famous for as well as avoiding having to pay the congestion charge.

If you are still unsure about whether to stay within Central London or not then consider that the ‘Commuter Belt’ of London is made up of a 60 mile circular radius around the city. Many people do this journey every single day, twice a day so you can surely do it for a short break! If you choose to stay somewhere within the Commuter Belt then you could stay in such picturesque places as Amersham, Brighton, Arundel and even Oxford or Cambridge. All these places would be significantly cheaper to stay in and all have excellent transport links to the capital city. You could even arrange to stay a few days within the heart of the capital city and a few days somewhere else, giving you plenty of time to explore the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, whether you choose to stay within the heart of London or elsewhere will be determined by your plans and whether you are happy with a fair amount of travelling. To really get a good deal you may find you need to stay an hour’s distance away from the capital which may not be at all what you are looking for in which case it might be better to increase the amount you are willing to spend on your accommodation so that your daily travel is reduced.

Shopping for antiques can be a wonderful way to pass the time, whether you are looking for a specific item to furnish your home or you simply enjoy the atmosphere of the markets and find browsing an enjoyable way to spend the day. There’s nothing better than discovering a beautiful trinket or treasure and taking it back home with you, especially if you have managed to secure it for a bargain price. London has to be one of the best cities in which to go antique hunting, there are plenty of flea markets, antique malls and hidden gems to explore and discover; just make sure you have your bartering head on!

If you’ve never been antique shopping before and would like to give it a go, then here are our top tips, as well as our advice on the best places to head when in London. You could even make a weekend of it, and spend your time off work exploring all the different options. Just make sure you have got yourself booked into one of the best London hotels so you have a great base in which to house the goodies you will no doubt come home laden with at the end of the day!

Firstly it might be worth discussing what makes an item ‘antique’. Typically, an item must be at least 100 years old to qualify for the term. If it is less than 100 years, it may be referred to as ‘vintage’. Another term which is often bandied about is ‘collectibles’; these can be any age and simply refer to an item which is popular. Unless you are particularly bothered about buying an antique these labels shouldn’t matter too much, especially for first-timers but it is worth bearing in mind so that sellers don’t attempt to bamboozle you. Don’t pay a higher price tag for an antique unless you are absolutely certain that is what you are getting!

Do Your Research
This is important if there is a particular item you are in the market for. If there is a certain vintage pattern you are looking for, or a type of china tea set then have a quick look online before you go to any fairs and compare the sort of price you might expect to pay. This will put you in a better position for bartering, and will make it less likely for you to end up paying over the odds. If you are a complete novice or you don’t have anything particular in mind then maybe spend some time wandering around the stalls and seeing what is on offer before you jump in and start making purchases.

Don’t Be Afraid to Haggle
This is practically expected an antique fairs and flea markets so don’t be afraid to give it a go. Some things to bear in mind:

Be fair; remember that this is probably the seller’s livelihood.

Don’t be a cheapskate; there’s a marked difference between being frugal and appearing like a cheapskate. You want the seller to like you, and want to sell to you which they are unlikely to do if they just think you are out to grind them down to their bottom line.

Don’t take the first price; despite the above, remember that the seller will expect a certain amount of negotiation. If a seller isn’t happy with the amount of profit they will make from your offer then they won’t sell, simple as so why not ask?

It’s Okay to Be Excited
Something which is often touted at people heading to their first antiques fair is to not appear too excited otherwise the seller will try and take you for a ride. Whilst this is true to some extent, appearing too cool can also be off-putting. You don’t know the story of the item and it may be that the seller is looking for someone who knows what they are buying. It is perfectly acceptable to show interest and a small amount of excitement if you find something that you want. Not to mention that it will come in handy when you begin to haggle as the seller will think you are genuinely interested in the item and simply want to get the best price and you are not just a cheapskate (see point above).

As we mentioned above, London is a wonderful place to experience antique shopping. Once you’ve got your accommodation at one of the best London hotels sorted, get ready to jump right in. We would recommend the following places:-

Alfie’s Antique Market
Located in north Marylebone, Alfie’s has over 100 dealers and has been open for over 30 years making it a well respected and reputed market. It is ideal if you want to hunt out some real treasures. Whilst this is a place for serious sellers and dealers to gather don’t be put off; the more experienced sellers are usually the friendliest and most helpful.

Portobello Road Market
This Notting Hill market is probably one of the most famous markets in the entire world. The antiques market takes place on a Saturday and although often busy and crowded it is well worth a wander.

Grays Antiques
Grays Antiques is housed in two buildings in London’s Mayfair. There is plenty on offer here from vintage fashion to fine antiques. It may feel like a maze but spend some time getting your bearings and you find much to delight and discover here.

Shaftesbury Suites are ideally located to a number of events taking place throughout the year in London. Tourists swarming in from different countries, in particular, tend to gravitate towards the range of festivities due to the holiday mood they’re in. During April, visitors to the capital will be ecstatic to know that the Easter periodhas an exciting range of special occasions. And so, staying in the Shaftesbury Suites during this month presents you with a delightful opportunity. One of the events taking place during this period is the famous London Marathon.The 26 mile running event has been a mainstay in the capital since the 1908 Olympics. You won’t necessarily have to take part; you can simply mill the surrounding streets on the day to get a sense of what it represents. It’s been going on for so many years, and is a cherished national event and so we whole heartedly recommend you take part just by being outside on the day on the April 26th 2015.

In a way, a number of events taking place in London don’t necessarily need active participation. Sometimes it can be enough to take pleasure in the pervading atmosphere. For instance, between the 3rd of April and the 6th of April, the country is treated to a whole four days of holidays and the weather tends to be a little warmer. You can simply take a stroll through the parks, streets and avenues, taking delight in the more casual atmosphere. After all, it’s not often that the urbane, cosmopolitan city of London takes a pause. Frantic, passionate, and dynamic are the words that best describe the city. In the break, you’ll find that everything seems to imbue a greater sense of relaxation. And so, it’s a wise decision to visit the Shaftesbury suites in the capital in April, especially if you’re after a more peaceful, serene holiday.

Many London attractions will have family friendly events. And you might very well find that the Shaftesbury suites will provide you with Easter Packages worth booking in advance. Either way, it’s clear so far that there are a host of benefits to visiting the city during April. The sun begins to shine a little more, and the daffodils begin to bloom, while the quaint royal Parks suddenly become more attractive to visit, as the cold winds of the past few months begin to settle.

Other events taking place during this period include the WWE Raw &Smackdown at the o2 Arena, perfect for a family outing for a thrilling, fun time. You’ll also find that Canary Wharf during the bank holiday weekend early April will have face-paintings, costumed characters, and family games while Kew Gardens will be hosting a traditional Easter Egg Hunt. In short, the Shaftesbury suites pit you right in the centre of it all.

Booking London last minute hotels are sometimes something that have to happen. Sure it would be best to book your accommodation far in advance to get a cheaper rate. But life can give you its toss and turns, and suddenly you can find yourself needing to visit the city of London immediately; because of an urgency, convenience, or simply because there’s no better time than now. Although getting there as soon as you can is understandably a priority, demonstrated by the way you’ve booked things so last minute; we nevertheless recommend a road trip if you’re going as a family.

Travel is essentially a means to an end. You want to get from A to B in as little time as possible. Walks become bus journeys, bus journeys become train journeys… All to get you where you want to get to fast as possible. Roads trips on the other hand are pretty slow. They flip things around in the sense that the travel journey no longer becomes a simple, means to an end. It’s no longer just about getting to the London last minute hotels. Rather, a road trip with a group symbolises the value of taking a journey together, in both patience and comfort. They might not be the most convenient thing in the world, but it’s hard to disagree that they bring the family together.

Despite that, it can be overwhelming to think how you’re going to last the journey with your kids in the back. Their screaming antics, requests and annoyances are something you’ll have to deal with while staying focused on the road. Maybe it’s only the thought of arriving at the last minute booked hotels in London that will keep you sane.But alas, as the passage of time begins to take its course on your journey, you’ll grow used to their periodic antics. Plus, you’ll notice they’ll lessen as they get more and more used to their temporary abode. We recommend that you get a pair of in car DVD screens on the back of your chairs in the car. Although we’ve mentioned road trips provide the perfect avenue for family time, on a road – there’s only so much you can say to keep them entertained – especially when you’re driving.

When you pull off by the gas station for a pause, for a meal – that’s where you can take real pleasure in their company. There’ll be other pull off points too of course, where you can rest, stretch and play with your kids – completely disconnected from your usual environment of just seeing them in the house after work. On a journey like this, you do really feel at one with your family.

We understand booking London last minute hotels can be a little on the expensive side. And so, we also recommend road trips because they help you save money. Plus they help you save on the stress of arriving at the airport venue on time, and worrying about how the journey is going to go, or if there are going to be any delays. Road trips put everything in your hands, let you move at your own pace, and let you spend quality time together with your family.

Hotels in Kensington London epitomise the principal location from which you should begin your adventure in London. Within the capital, you’ll find an overflow of destinations worth visiting. In this post, we’ll explore which particular spots are ideal for first time visitors on a budget. The city is so huge, and with so many attractions, it’s not easy get a full grasp of what the city really, and truly has to offer. This article will be principally focused on destinations for budget travellers, looking to get a fulfilling, rich experience from the city while saving money.

1)Accommodation
Accommodation and travel expenses already take up so much of our budget. And money is often the determining factor that prevents people from travelling more. That’s why we insist on getting the best deals you can by looking for different travel and accommodation options well in advance. That’s clearly demonstrated, for instance by the hotels in Kensington London– who tend to provide lavish accommodation for better prices, the earlier you book your stay.

2)Restaurants
You can find many food joints in the city which offer great prices, and don’t compromise on quality. Some of these include oriental restaurants; such as Pho – a small food place found in London’s Fitzrovia serving delightful street-style Vietnamese dishes. Or there’s Nando’s – a chain of restaurants that serves great, different plates of chicken cooked in your preferred marinade.

3)Museums
Many of them, including the National British History Museum, offer a great, educational experience into the country’s heritage – for free! Others charge a nominal amount and so all in all, museums offer a great opportunity for a day out for a group! All of them are easily accessible by tube, from instance from the station right by the hotels in Kensington London.

4)Royal Parks
The city is often portrayed as being an urbane, commercialized, cosmopolitan city. But when you visit these parks, you very get little sense of that. Regents Park, Hyde Park, and Richmond Park – form the three major nature spots worth visiting. Grand in size, bountiful in nature fields – they’re a far cry from the hustle and bustle of inner city London. They present the opportunity to feel at peace, in ironically, one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Funnily enough, the hotels in Kensington London are ideally located nearby to all these parks.

5)Comedy Events
Events are an overriding theme in the city, and a quick Google search for ‘events in London’ will whip up an extraordinary amount of results. Angel Comedy is and the Freedom Fridge Comedy Night are some of the most popular, free comedy events worth taking a look into.

6)Markets
There are so many supermarkets in London, and it can be a little difficult to imagine where you can find the cheap stuff. Asda, Tesco’s, Iceland, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s crowd the city. But not to worry, because the city does have a plethora of market sales, particularly on the weekend, open to view. Brixton Market, located in Lewisham Car Park, is just one of many, and offers a variety of fresh produce for better prices.

7)Thrift Stores
With so many boutique, high-end department stores on sight around the hotels in Kensington London, it can be a little difficult to imagine where you can find the cheap stuff. The East End Thrift Store gives shoppers looking for new clothes for reduced rates an avenue they can explore. Absolute Vintage, found on Brick Lane, is also another one worth mentioning. You’ll be surprised to know that the quality of the clothing is exceptional, it’s just second hand – but at least it doesn’t cost a dime.

8)Free Exhibitions
It’s clear so far that there’s quite a bit off stuff that’s free in London. From great parks, museums, and comedy events. But you’ll also find free exhibition’s too! The Humans Right Humans Wrongs presents more than 300 examples of post-war journalism. There’s also the ‘Cravings: Can your food control you?’ exhibition. It’s found in the Science Museum in Knightsbridge, not far from the hotels in Kensington London and fascinatingly takes you on a crash course to see if you can control your urges.

9)Free Music
When you just thought we were done in the free stuff in London… oh yes there’s more! The Blues at the Bullet at the Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park provides guests with a free blue band performance. At the Ain’t nothing but Blues Bar, Soho you’ll find Oliver Darling – a bluesman playing ‘50s blue, rock n’ roll alongside his band. Of course you’ll have to pay to see some bigger names in the capital, but visiting some of these free music spots is something worth considering. Especially considering both the aforementioned venues at close to the hotels in Kensington London.

10)Family days with kids
If you’re visiting the city with your kids, then you’ll obviously want to delight them with a bit of fun. The V&A Museum of Childhood is home to collection of toys, games, and costumes and has been open since 1872. It’s free and it’s found in Bethnal Green, not too far from the hotels in Kensington London and is the principal venue we recommend you visit if you’re visiting London with family.

Cheap hotels in London are rare, especially during days marked by celebration. Nevertheless, there are a few accommodations that do provide affordable rates-along with the benefits you deserve. On the 15th March,Mother’s day, guests visiting the Shaftesbury hotel will be glad to know that the accommodation will be offering special additions to your stay, including afternoon teas and a bouquet flower service. More importantly, guests will have an affordable, comfortable living experience in the heart of London.

The year is marked by a number of special days, and more often than not, we tend to forget a certain few. Mother’s day is most certainly one we’d prefer to not to.It’s not often that we take the time to show we appreciate our mothers, clearly demonstrated by the fact we even have a Mother’s day!But the significance a mother plays in the role of one’s life is clear. Gifts are certainly one way of showing we care, a bouquet of flowers has the same effect, but giving her attention and time and sharing a day together is something else. In short, flowers and gifts can be a wonderful addition, but not a foundation for a Mother’s day.

Naturally, it would be best to plan a day out. You can do that through a number of ways, especially if you’re staying at one of the cheap hotels in London and we suggest taking a family cruise along the River Thames. You’ll enjoy a panoramic view from your comfortable abode as you swiftly, elegantly swiftly stream across the river bed.Most cruises provide an Afternoon Tea and other complimentary benefits. Meaning, you’ll have a real treasure of an experience with your mother.

Other things you can do include taking your mother for a delightful spa massage treatment in St Martins Courtyard as well as going for an eventful, quaint flower course at the Covent Garden Academy of flowers. Staying in the cheap hotels in London positions you ideally to a number of exciting venues in and around the capital city. In short, it doesn’t really matter what you do, so long as you enjoy the day out.

You can even simply take the time to walk across the parks of London – meaning you don’t have to necessarily do anything expensive. The point is, taking the day off and dedicating it to family is important on this day. If it’s particularly cold outside, you can simply visit her from wherever you’re staying. Whether that’s at a cheap hotel in London or elsewhere. If for whatever reason you’re not free on the day, you can simply book a beauty, therapy day in one of the many massage and spa centres for her around the cheap hotels in London.

The best London hotels are usually found in the middle of the capital. That’s because they’re surrounded by a profusion of attractions as well as close reach to a number of exciting festivities. It makes sense that those visiting the capital would want to be where all the action takes place. 2015 is no exception, and between the Tuesday March 15th and Thursday March 17th, the city will host a number of small celebrations in Trafalgar Square under the theme of St Patricks Day. If you decide to come along, you’ll find an Irish Food Market, Irish Music and dance, as well as a number of family friendly activities. There will also be a lively parade, beginning outside Green Park station, passing by some of London’s most notable areas including: The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and Whitehall.

It’s a 1.5mile route, and you can expect to have a day full of fun and celebration if you decide to par-take in the celebrations. It’s quiet clear that staying at the best London hotels naturally positions you in and around the parade, and the other festivities taking place on St Patricks. The Shaftesbury collection of hotels is one of the finest examples of accommodation that combine affordable rates and an elegant stay – in the epicentre of the city.And so if you’re looking to visit London anytime soon, then March might be the month for you.

St Patricks has its roots in Irish culture and is a religious celebration that has lasted through the ages. It was made an official Christian feast day in the 17th century and commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. In Ireland, they celebrate a little more boisterously, donning green attire and shamrocks. Shamrocks, or a three leaved plant is said to have been use to explain the Holy Trinity to the triple deities. In England, the Queen used to present bowls of shamrocks to members of the Irish guards. In 2008, during Trafalgar’s day the water in Trafalgar Square fountains was dyed green to add a nice touch to the celebrations. As you venture out from the best London hotels during St Patricks you’ll find yourself noticing a lot of green everywhere. Even though it has its roots in Ireland, it’s celebrated in countries all over the world including: Canada, Argentina, Australia and Ireland.

It’s also worth mentioning that during the affair, guests living near or in best London hotels will be happy to know that there’ll also be comedy and film festivals at particular venues in Trafalgar Square. Meanwhile, many restaurants will be serving traditional, delectable dishes of Irish fare. Meaning, the celebration is not only performed outside on the streets. It covers the whole central area of the city for the period of its celebration, right by the best London hotels.